The Inter-American Human Rights Commission to visit Mexico

SEGOB-SRE-PGR Joint Press Release

In response to the invitation extended by the Mexican government in early 2015, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will visit Mexico from September 28 to October 2 as part of its mandate to promote the observance and protection of human rights in the Americas, in accordance with Article 106 of the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS).

As part of Mexico’s policy to cooperate with international human rights organizations, the visit of the IACHR will strengthen the dialogue with pertinent federal and local authorities, not only regarding developments in the field of human rights, but also in order to effectively address individual cases pending before the IACHR. The commission will also meet with legislators, judicial officials, independent human rights bodies, and Mexican civil society organizations.

The visit comes at a time when the IACHR is undergoing significant change, focused on making it more efficient in addressing cases of possible human rights violations in order to ensure that victims receive full compensation commensurate with international standards.

Mexico has been one of the main backers of a stronger inter-American human rights system, which led it to preside over a major effort within the OAS that resulted in amending its Rules of Procedure in 2013 to give it the efficiency and transparency needed to meet the continent’s human rights challenges.

The visit will enable the Commission to fulfill its mandate of promoting human rights on the continent and to deepen the dialogue on addressing and resolving individual petitions that, in some cases, have been pending resolution in the IACHR since the 1990s.

This reflects the priority and the duty of the government in ensuring that the victims of human rights violations receive effective reparation according to the American Convention on Human Rights and other treaties.

By inviting the IACHR to visit Mexico, the federal government reiterates its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights.

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Press release, Sep. 17, 2015, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Mexico, DF; translation by SRE